1.75 million vehicles shipped in 2002
In 2002 some 1.75 million vehicles were shipped from Dutch ports. About 30 percent of these vehicles were commodities for trade, mainly new cars. The other 70 percent were trucks engaged in the transport of goods.
Car shipments to the Netherlands
In 2002 some 470 thousand cars were shipped via Dutch ports. Of these, 270 thousand came to the Netherlands from oversees. 200 thousand new cars were loaded in the Netherlands to be shipped to a destination abroad.
In 1997 over 560 thousand new cars were shipped, of which over 375 thousand were shipped to the Netherlands.
Shipments of new cars by sea
Fewer new cars from Japan and South Korea
Considerably fewer cars were shipped to the Netherlands from Japan and South Korea in 2002. Shipments from Japan fell by half in five years time, reaching 70 thousand cars in 2002. The number of cars from South Korea fell from 34 thousand in 1997 to over 20 thousand in 2002.
The shipments of cars from other European countries did not fall by as much.
Shipments of new cars by sea, by country of origin
Ferry transport increasing
Trucks also take boats, mainly the ferry to the UK. Despite the opening of the Channel tunnel in 1994 transport by ferry continues to grow.
Trucks in ferries to and from the UK
In 2002 some 425 thousand trucks arrived from the United Kingdom by ferry, including 250 thousand loaded with freight. 420 thousand vehicles returned through a Dutch sea port, almost all loaded with freight. In 1997 some 350 thousand trucks arrived from the UK.
Huub Coninx